The end of an era
by AATC-86
Summary: My character, general Borgward, fight during the Clone wars alongside the greatest warrior of all time: general Grievous. While they get to know eachother quite well, Grievous still have secrets, some which are revealed after his tragic death.
1. Chapter 1

**The end of an era**

Years have passed since the war, now known as the 'clone war', started on Geonosis. Years of fighting, killing, destruction and suffering, spreading all across the galaxy as the war progress. Peace had become a distant memory. This war wasn't about to end soon, no, despite staggering losses neither side appeared to be running out of recources. This was truly a war of attrition.

I am 75 human and 25 Kaleesh, and my name is Borgward Waácht, born on the planet of Katva II in the outer rim territories. I am 1,86 meters tall, and my haircolour is brown. The only thing that gives away my Kaleesh heritage are my golden reptilian eyes. I am a general of the Confederacy of Independent System's droid armies. This is my story.

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My family on Katva II where relatively poor when I was young, but as I grew older, all of my relatives helped me to fund my education at the Katva military academy. My teachers considered me to be an exceptional strategist, especially in defense, counterattacks and to make the enemy pay a heavy price in battles when I was hopelessly outnumbered. Although I have tried wielding a lightsaber, the weapon of a jedi, I never managed to be good at it. Instead, I developed my skills as a good marksman.

Then came the years of economical depression. Our neighboring planets fought in the Huk-wars, and while Katva II remained officially neutral in the conflict, the embargo imposed on Kalee by the Republic greatly affected Katva's economy, since Kalee was our greatest trading partner.

This was the first time I ever heard about the Kalee general, later known as Grievous, and he was to influence my tactical thinking, as I spent many nights studying his flawless tactics from the news reports.

This economical depression greatly hampered my education, as I could no longer afford it, despite the efforts of my family. So in the moment of greatest desperation, I was contacted by representatives of the Trade federation, two neimoidians. They made me an offer to sponsor my entire education, if I where willing to work for them when I finished, as a "debt collector".

I wondered how ever I could be of use to them, as my speciality was of defensive nature, but I didn't bother to ask, fearing they might withdraw the offer. What I had heard about the Trade federation wasn't all good, but I took their offer, and finished my education.

For a few years, I commanded the Trade federation's droid armies in their wars against pirates and non-paying planets. I got the news that Grievous had died in a shuttle craft crash, and thought it was a real pity for such a great warrior to suffer an un-honourable death like that. Too bad I never got a chance to meet him, I thought.

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I let out a deep sigh as I sat down in my chair in my chamber aboard the _Belugaross_, a Lucrehulk class battleship. _Another day of fighting off persistent pirate-attacks..._

Just as I was about to doze off, a flashing lamp notified me that I was being hailed from the ship's communications central. I pressed the comlink button.

"What now?!" I demanded.

A neimoidian voice said they had received a message for all of the Trade federation's commanders.

"Okay, on screen.", I said as I released the button and turned my attention to the video-screen at the end of my chamber.

Sure as hell, there he was in all of his "glory", viceroy Nute Gunray, looking ugly as ever before.

"This is a recording I'm sending to all commanders of the armies of the Trade federation. Just recently, we formed an alliance with other business corporations and systems not pleased with the galactic Republic and the Jedi, an alliance now known as the _Confederacy of Independent Systems_. Moments after this alliance was forged, the Republic revealed a secretly built army of clone troopers, who, along with the Jedi, treacherously attacked our bases on Geonosis. Conseqently, we are now at war with the Republic."

_Wow! I didn't see that coming!_

"But know this: Our combined droid armies are far greater than anything the Republic and the Jedi might come up with, and our newly appointed commander in chief is no less than the former Jedi Count Dooku. With this in mind, I can sincerely assure you, that victory will be ours."

The screen went black.

My entire body felt stiff. It took some time for this information to sink in. _We're at war, at war with the Republic, and the Jedi...real war. _I knew this was going to be alot different from fighting pirates. As I finished these thoughts, the lamp started flashing again.

"Yes?" I inquired.

"All ships are ordered to return to the nearest Trade federation base, general." the neimoidian answered.

"Thank you.", I replied,

"Over and out".

I activated the ship's speaker system and notified the entire crew of neimoidians and droids alike "Attention all personnel, the Trade federation is now at war with the Republic. All Republican forces are hereby enemies, and will be fired upon without warning. This excludes unarmed vessels and personnel who will be offered a chance to surrender. Over and out.". I could hear some battle droids in the corridor outside repeating "Roger, roger" to the, now silent, speaker systems. This act of apparent stupidity from the droids made me wonder if our strenght in numbers would be enough against the clone soldiers. Time will tell.


	2. Chapter 2

The nearest CIS base was located on Cato Neimoidia, so that's where my ship headed to. I put the _Belugaross _in orbit around the planet, and headed towards the capitol city of Gutam in my personal fighter. I was to meet Nute Gunray, and for the first time; Count Dooku.

Gutam was a very large, very modern city. It looked like a piece of Coruscant had been carved out from the planet and dropped in the middle of a jungle. Except all buildings here where beatiful. All buildings, high or low, where constructed in the same kind of beautiful style, and most buildings where painted in light colours, which made an interesting contrast to the green lush areas surrounding the city.

I set down my fighter on a landing platform in the middle of the city, near a huge building with enormous pillars at the entrance. This was the city's government building, now in use by the Trade federation.

As I stepped out of my spacecraft, a battle droid officer approached me. "General Borgward! I am to escort you to the briefing room. Please follow me."

I followed the droid into the former government building into a large room, with a long table and a lot of chairs around it. I was in no doubt that this was a conference chamber. The droid left me by myself in the room to wait for the others to arrive. I guess I was early, as usual.

The room had no windows, but still felt very cozy. All furniture where wooden, blood red coloured. The walls had a deep dark green colour, and on them where pictures of different neimoidians in colourful garments.

The doors opened, and in came, besides escorting security battle droids, Nute Gunray, his liutenant Rune Haako, and an old human man, whom I presumed to be Count Dooku.

"Ah, general Borgward! Good to have you here." Gunray exclaimed.

I politely bowed to him, and then turned my attention towards the old human.

"Count Dooku, I presume?"

He nodded, with a faint smile on his face.

"It's an honour to meet you in person" I said as I bowed.

"Likewise", he answered.

Nute Gunray had a droid pull out his chair for him, while the rest of us took a seat by our own at the table. Right then, the doors opened again. Escorted by some droids, holding long staffs, that I had never seen before, came what I first thought was a droid, and a huge one at that. Then I saw it's eyes, the same eyes as I have..._that's not a droid, it's some sort of cyborg, a Kaalesh._

Nute Gunray looked arrogantly at the kaalesh cyborg.

"What is it? We're busy." the neimoidian said, apparently annoyed.

The droids left the room, leaving the cyborg at the entrance. His eyes scanning the room, and noticing me. He stared at me for a moment, looking a bit surprised. Probably because of my kaalesh eyes. Nute Gunray abruptly broke the stillness.

"What are you still doing here? You stupid droid! Go back to the workshop for maintenance or something!" the neimoidian yelled at him.

The cyborg locked his eyes with Nute Gunray, pure hatred in his kaalesh eyes. A raspy metallic voice slowly answered him.

"I...am...no...droid!"

This was the first time I heard him speak. His voice sounded harsh, and yet strong and commanding.

"You certainly look like a droid, and you don't seem to be smarter than the average battle droid either. Actually you appear to be more stupid, droid!"

The cyborg lunged across the room towards our table too fast for any of us to react. He stopped in front of the table, opposite of Gunray, who fell back into his chair in fear. The cyborg roared furiously.

"I AM NOT A DROID, YOU STUPID MAGGOT! I'M A KAALESH WAR HERO!"

He slammed his metallic fists into the table, splitting it in two and sending wooden pieces and splinters all across the room.

Gunray held on to his chair, utterly paralyzed with terror. That's when Dooku intervened.

The cyborg was about to grab the viceroy's throat when count Dooku quickly rose from his chair and yelled at the cyborg.

"Grievous! Stop immedietly!"

_Grievous...? It couldn't be him, he's dead! He died in that shuttle crash...didn't he? _

The cyborg, Grievous, stopped. He slowly backed away from the viceroy, while still giving him a deadly stare. Gunray let out a small yelp, and looked down at his soaked regalia. He probably felt very embarrased.

"This meeting will be postponed until tomorrow, dismissed." Count Dooku declared, and walked out with Grievous.


	3. Chapter 3

After leaving the conference room, I was briefed about the current status of the war, and the upgrades that my ship, the _Belugaross_, underwent while I was down here. A lot more turbolasers was to be mounted all over the ship, a stronger shield generator installed, more vulture droids would be stacked inside, the new B2 battle droid, or the _super battle droid_, would be added to the ship's security forces, and finally, it would receive a new paintjob with separtist markings.

However important all this was, I could not stop thinking about Grievous..._was it the same one that I had read about so many years ago? What had happened to him?_

I made the decision to pay him a visit, to still my curiosity.

TC-16, a silvery protocol droid, informed me that Grievous was down in the garage of the palace, practicing lightsaber fighting with Dooku.

Coming closer to the garage, I could hear the distinct sounds of lightsaber fighting. _A violent duel._

The two warriors didn't pay me any attention as I entered, they just kept on fighting. Dooku must have sensed that I entered the garage, for he soon ended the training session with Grievous to turn to me.

"Ah, general Borgward. What a pleasant surprise." Dooku said.

Grievous just looked at me.

"What brings you here, general?" Dooku inquired.

"Ah, nothing in particular. I just wanted to see a lightsaber duel with my own eyes."

"Are you satisfied then?" Dooku asked as he smiled.

"Indeed."

"Have you ever tried wielding a lightsaber yourself?" Dooku asked.

"Yes, but my skills are mediocre at best. I'm more useful with a firearm...the neimiodian heavy blaster being my favourite."

Dooku appeared to be a bit disappointed, but nevertheless remained polite.

"You have to excuse me, but I must meet with the Viceroy now."

Dooku said, and gracefully left the garage without even looking at Grievous.

As soon as the sound of the count's footsteps couldn't be heard anymore, Grievous himself unexpectantly spoke to me.

"You are human, yet you have kaalesh eyes. Am I correct?"

"Indeed, my grandmother was from Kalee, me myself being from Katva II."

"Then you must be familiar with the Czerka outland rifle?"

"Ofcourse! I think it's a very under-estimated weapon, despite being viewed as more primitive."

We both exchanged our opinions and experiences about different kinds of small arms for a while, comparing different types to the Czerka. I got the feeling that Grievous became more relaxed as we spoke, but I did not dare to ask him about how he became a cyborg. Not yet.

"Excuse me, general. But I think I must go to bed now. There is a day tomorrow too." I said, and was barely able to supress a yawn.

"Ofcourse." He said, and made a gesture with his right hand.

I walked through the great halls and corridors of the magnificient building, pleased to have aquinted the infamous general Grievous. The room I had been assigned for the night was large and luxurous, it's walls and decorations resembling that of the conference room where Gunray had wet his robes earlier that day. Ah, memories...

I opened a large coffin at the end of the large bed, my personal coffin that I had brought along from the _Belugaross_ to the surface. At the bottom, I found a wooden rectangular box. The inside of the box revealed an old scent, a scent typical for antique items. My Czerka Outland rifle, and my very ornate Neimiodian heavy blaster, in separate parts of the box. I was a general, and therefore typically led my troops from a distance. Would this also be the case in this war?


	4. Chapter 4

The Republic Acclamator-class ships where closing in on my small fleet. Head on, as if aiming on the _Belugaross_ they came. No doubt since it was the largest vessel of my formation. The rest of my ships where 35 Techno Union Hardcell transports, and a couple of Commerce Guild Diamond-class cruisers, clustered to the left and right of the _Belugaross_.

Ever since that conference on Cato Neimoidia, my forces had increased, and incorporated many new kinds of weaponry as the various business corporations had supplied the separtist's cause with all the more equipment necessary to wage war.

"Launch one fourth of our fighters, sergeant. The Vulture droids only - we'll hold on to our Geonosian starfighters for now." I ordered a battle droid sergeant present at the bridge.

"Launch one fourth of our fighters, Vulture droids only. Affirmative, sir. Relaying command." The droid said in it's monotone voice and headed for the communications relay.

Next, I turned to the Neimoidian captain Thoth. A very experienced captain, and not quite as cowardly as Neimoidians usually are. I would not tolerate cowardly behavior, and he didn't dare anger me. _How ironic._

"Captain, 90 percent power to shields. All batteries fire at targets of opportunity, give me one hell of a show Thoth!"

"Yes general!"

A moment of relative peace followed, before the battle suddenly erupted in a cacophony of turbolaser-fire. The Vulture-droids made contact with Republic fighters. Explosions, laser cannon fire, and the screech of the Vulture's engines - all at once, as the fighter's clashed between the capital ships of the Confederacy and the Republic.

Some of the Republic fighters got through our defences, and attacked the _Belugaross_. Low thuds where heard as proton-torpedoes impacted against the bridge's shields.

A crippled Diamond-cruiser disappeared in an enormous explosion, damaging another nearby cruiser that started descending downwards. A Techno union transport was split in half as a proton torpedo hit the onboard fuel storage. The thirty or so Republic cruisers where gaining the advantage - or so it may have appeared.

"What's the status, captain?"

"Shields are holding. No damage sustained on the ship."

"Good."

My plan was working perfectly. I had divided my capital ships into four different groups, and now was the time to make real use of them.

The Republic fighters were spread thin - so sure were they of victory that they didn't bother to give their own Acclamators fighter support.

I pressed a few buttons on a commucations control, and a blue hologram sprang into being in front of me.

"Ah, general Borgward. I was beginning to think you would never let me in on the fun." The blue hologram said.

"General Grievous, I suggest you deploy your fighter squadron now. Give them hell!"

I watched as the fighter wings shot out from the hangar bays of the _Belugaross_. Grievous headed straight for the nearest Acclamator in his Belbullab-22 fighter, followed by the other Geonosian fighters. Their formation pierced the enemy's fighter defense around the Acclamator like a spear. Isolating the Republic fighters from one another and eliminating them.

They where too far off for me to be able to spot any individual fighter now, but I could still see small explosions and thin streaks of laser fire. Grievous and his wingmen were supposed to knock out as many of the Acclamator's communication arrays as possible, so that jamming the remaining ones would be easier.

Still though, no Acclamators had been lost yet, only damaged, while several more Hardcell's had gone down.

"Captain, reverse the ship's course, but keep the front pointed towards the republic fleet." I ordered Thoth.

"Yes general."

"Sergeant, relay my command to the 11th and 38th fleets on our left and right flank respectively. Have them both advance at low speed."

"Relaying orders to the 11th and 38th fleets, general." The droid answered.

What happened now was exactly what Borgward had planned. His ships formed a gargantuan predatory mouth formation. The republic ships where pursuing the _Belugaross_, while his other ships were the jaws of the formation, about to shut off the republic ships from their escape routes. All too late did the Republic commander realize what was about to happen.

"Captain Thoth, decrease shields to 40 percent, and transfer power to the turbolaser batteries. Concentrate fire at one ship a time." I commanded.

"Yes general."

Without adequate communications, the Republic commander couldn't call for reinforcements, nor warn any other nearby forces. My fleet had trapped the Acclamator-vessels in a devastating crossfire. They had no chance to escape.

The ships closest to the _Belugaross_ went down in flames as the immense power of thousands of turbolasers pounded at them, breaking them apart. The surviving Republic ships desperately gathered closer to one another like a flock of scared birds in order to provide fire support against the starfighters that attacked them from every direction.

I watched satisfactory at my work, hands clasped behind my back, as a security droid approached me.

"Sir, we just found two jedi starfighters abandoned in the starboard hangar bay."

"We have jedis onboard?!" said, chocked.

"We're not yet certain, sir. But it is plausible."

So, the Republic fleet commanders had been jedi then. Probably a master and a padawan, desperately attempting to destroy my ship in a vain attempt to turn the tide. _Fools! No explosives carried by two men can be powerful enough to make anything more than a dent in the ship's hull!_ A nanosecond after that thought, another one struck me. _The engine core!_ It didn't take much explosives to blow the entire vessel to smithereens if placed at the engine core!

"Place a brigade of droids around the entrances to the engine core!" I ordered, afraid that the jedi might succeed in turning this battle.

"Roger, roger." The security droid answered and hurried away.

"Captain! Can you track the jedi?!" I asked, shifting my attention to Thoth.

"Negative, general."

Time was of the essence. I couldn't possibly defeat the jedi! I needed help. I needed Grievous!

Yet again activating the communications console, the blue hologram of general Grievous sprang into being in front of me. He was still in his fighter.

"What is it general? I have pressing matters at the moment." Grievous said, and yanked the controls. An explosion could be heard in the background.

"Two jedi have boarded my ship, I need your immediate assistance!"

"Ah, jedi!" Grievous said mischievously. "I'll be there in a moment."

I strongly felt that I needed to do more! So I left the bridge with a small escort of security droids to oversee the defences of the engine core myself. The droids may not understand how to properly deploy the droidekas in a defensive position...

I was completely unaware about everything around me as I walked down the long corridors, deep in thoughts, when I suddenly heard a sudden hissing sound from behind me. I turned around just in time to see two of the security droids being decapitated by a green lightsaber blade. A male human, a young jedi, had appeared out of nowhere and destroyed half of my escort in a split second.

Next, I heard another lightsaber igniting. I grabbed an arm from one of the decapitated battle droids that I kicked against the young jedi, and swung around to meet the new threath. Another male jedi. Older. He had already destroyed the last two droids in my escort. Not a shot had been fired. In a vain attempt to fend for myself, I swung the droid arm at the older jedi, using it like a club. He cut the droid arm in half, and proceeded to knock the last piece of the arm out of my hand with the force. I was now completely defenseless.

The two jedi stood in defensive stances blocking any possible escape paths down the corridor. I stood unmoving, hands at my sides. Waiting for their next move.

"Separatist general!" The older jedi adressed me.

He was probably the master for the other one standing behind me. The master looked confident as he continued to speak.

"You will come with us, now, to the ship's bridge. There you will order your forces to capitulate."

_Is he brain dead? Why would I do that?_ I thought to myself as I grinned, revealing a row of small pointed teeth. Another Kaleesh heritage of mine. The master seemed to misinterpret my silence for a surrender.

"Now, lead us to the bridge, immedietly!" He said, and made a move towards me.

"To hell with you." I simply stated, still grinning. "I'm not a bloody Neimoidian, you can't intimidate me! What are you going to do? Kill me?! I don't think so, it would be against your precious order."

The master showed no signs of surprise or bafflement. His face was as unreadable as a droids.

"We are allowed to kill you, even though you're unarmed, since it might help us save thousands of clone soldiers." He said calmly.

_What a moron._ Life, my own life, has never been very precious to me. I'm not very strong, fast or skilled in fighting techniques. But I have one advantage; I do not fear death. I remain indifferent to the prospect of dying. This, the master could ofcourse not know.

"I don't care." I said flatly.

Silence. The master actually appeared stunned by this. I felt him search my mind. He found nothing but plain honesty.

His eyes grew wide. He was about to reach for his lightsaber when metal talons grabbed him by the head and smashed his entire body against the corridor wall, leaving a bloody trail on the metal. Grievous had appeared from out of nowhere and saved me.

The padawan, fear in his eyes, yelped and reached for his weapon. His hand never touched his lightsaber, as Grievous leapt upon him and grabbed him by the arm with his right hand, holding him by the shoulder with the other one. With a cry of indescribable pain and terror, the padawan's arm was ripped off. He slumped to the floor, crying, blood and saliva rinning from his mouth.

Grievous took a step back, and tossed the arm to the floor beside the crying padawan, taking his lightsaber from the boy's belt and adding it to his ever growing collection.

"Please..." the padawan begged silently, in between coughs of blood.

"No mercy." Grievous said in a low voice.

"Oh, come on!" I intervened.

Grievous spun around to listen to me. He had long ago given up on intimidating me. He knew of my view of death.

"Look at him. He will barely be able to dress himself after this, much less fight in a war. He is too mentally damaged by this ordeal. I have a better idea..."

"I'm all ears, general." Grievous said impatiently.

I mainly felt that it was unecessary to kill him. He was already defeated, and just a few years younger than I. But I couldn't tell Grievous this, he would need a good reason for it. I leaned forward and spoke in a low voice.

"Send him into captivity to count Dooku, he will probably be interested in having a force sensitive as prisoner."

Grievous considered this for a moment, and then nodded in approval.

"A very good idea indeed, general. See to it that it be done."

"I will." I said. "As soon as I've finished off the last Republic ships. It won't be long."


End file.
